


Loving in a different time

by BeautifulHistory



Category: Gentleman Jack (TV)
Genre: Fear, Gentleman Jack - Freeform, Historic Lesbians, Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-24 09:54:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21097532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeautifulHistory/pseuds/BeautifulHistory
Summary: Anne Lister rushes to Scotland after receiving a worrying letter about Ann Walker from her sister Elizabeth





	1. Chapter One -  Ann's breaking point

  


There was so much of it, the blood. It just kept pouring down Ann’s wrist, as she held tight to her own arm, sobbing her heart out and kneeling down over a bowl on the ground. Elizabeth soon walked in to Ann’s room about to invite her down stairs, but stopped suddenly upon seeing the state that her sister was in.

“Ann? What have you done?” Elizabeth gasped, holding onto the bed post to keep herself standing.

Ann quickly jumped to her feet, still holding her arm “I - I - umm, I don’t know -” Ann whispered, before collapsing on the floor, landing with a thud.

Elizabeth stood watching the scene unfold, before finding the strength inside her to help her sister. 

“Ann! Ann!” Elizabeth knelt down, before calling out for her husband. “Ann! Wake up! Ann!” Elizabeth cried until her husband arrived next to her.

“Dear god, what happened?” He asked.

Over the next few days Ann stayed in bed, being watched over by her Sister, three days in and Ann began waking up seeming more awake then the previous days.

  


_ “Ann?” Anne softly spoke, only Ann had really heard her speak in this softer tone, and for a moment just one moment Ann thought the women she was in love with was sitting at her bedside waiting for her to wake. _

_ “Anne?”Ann murmured before turning over, and suddenly brought to her senses when she saw Elizabeth sitting there with a gentle smile. _

  


“Just me I’m afraid.” Elizabeth smiled

Ann groaned slightly as she tried to sit up “W-what happened?” Ann question,her head still fuzzy from the last few days.

“You don’t remember?”

“I - I -” Ann paused, looking away but then looked right back at her sister “I’m so sorry Elizabeth” Ann sniffled “I just thought I couldn’t go on, I thought without her, I couldn’t do it.”

“Without Miss. Lister Prehabs?”

Ann frowned a little trying to think of how she could explain what she just said “I just meant -”

“Ann,what did you mean?”

Ann still wasn’t too sure on how to answer that, but she thought if she could tell one person in her family the truth about who she was and how she was, then that person would be Elizabeth. “The truth is Elizabeth, like you said, I thought I couldn’t go on without Anne.”

“Do you still feel like that? That you need her?”

“Since the day I met her I have felt like that.”

“Alright, I understand, I know how you feel and how you are, you’ve been whispering her name on and off in your sleep for three days, you care very much for her, I can see that.” Elizabeth replies quietly and suddenly going very quiet and walking out from the room.

Ann could almost hear her heart beating and leaping from her chest. Where had Elizabeth gone? Was she going to have her taken away and hanged? No, Anne had told her that, that couldn’t happen. She trusted Anne. So where had her sister gone.

Only a few minutes went by before Elizabeth walked back in “Ann, your my sister and I love you no matter who you love, that’s a promise.” Elizabeth smiled as she stepped inside. “I’m going to send a letter to your Miss. Lister.”

  


\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Anne! Anne! We expected you for dinner, where were you?!” Marian shouted as she watched Anne stride right past her, in her muddy boots and up the stairs.

“Not here, that’s where, as far away from your irritating tone as possible!” Anne replied,smirking to herself.

“What have I said about muddy boots in the hou-” but her words fell on deaf ears, Marian walked quickly up the stairs and into Anne’s room.

  


“Oh yes do come in.” Anne growled.

“If you had of been here, you’d of known about the letter.” Marian stated, not giving away too much revelling in the fact she had more information than Anne did at this moment in time.

“What letter? What are you going on about?” Anne frowned, taking off her boots and sitting at her desk.

“This letter.” Marian held up the envelope in her hand. “It’s from Scotland.”

“What?” Anne looked up quickly, trying to reach for the letter from behind the desk “Marian! My god just give it to me!”

“No, not yet-”

“Marian! Stop being so bloody childish!” Anne quickly stood up, walking over to her sister and snatching the letter from her grip. 

Anne ripped open the envelope, opening up the letter and began reading, but absolutely nothing could have prepared Anne for reading the words she was about to see. Anne suddenly let out a fearful whimper, and had to hold onto the wall to keep herself steady as her knees almost gave way.

“Anne?” Marian frowned “What is it?”

Anne’s knees finally caved in and she just fell hard to the ground as she let go of the letter, and Marian ran to her sister and kneeled at her side “Anne?”

“It - it’s Miss. Walker, she - she - no - no - no! I have to go to Scotland”

“When?”

“NOW!” Anne snapped “Ann is hurt and sick and I need to be there.” 

“How sick?”

“Does it matter?! She’s sick and I have to go to her!” Anne stood up quickly “Where’s Aunt Anne?”

“In her room. Calm down Anne!” Marian replied, shaking her head irritated at Anne, 

“I can’t! I can’t calm down!” Anne stormed out and went right to Aunts room walking in, and quickly closing the door behind her, holding her back against the door so Marian couldn’t follow. Anne took a long deep breath closing her eyes and she let her body slide down the door and Anne just broke down.

The only person that had seen Anne’s vulnerable side, other than Ann walker herself was her Aunt.

Anne’s aunt quickly looked up from where she was laying in bed. “Anne? Whatever is the matter?”

Anne just shook her head, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to even speak the words of the truth but she needed to.

Anne’s Aunt then patted the side of the bed next to her. “Come here, talk to me.”

Anne sniffled as she slowly began to stand and walked over to the bed, laying down, curled into her Aunt.

“Tell your dear old Aunt what’s happened?”

“It’s Ann - Miss.Walker -”

“Isn’t she in Scotland with her sister Elizabeth?”

‘Yes, but Aunt, her sister wrote to me and told me that Ann’s health and wellbeing has deteriorated so much so that she hurt herself. She took a piece of glass to her flesh and -”

“Well then, you must go to her.”

“Aunt?” Anne frowned, sitting up and wiping her tears.

“If you love her like I think you do, you must go to her.”

That was all Anne Lister needed. Her Aunts words, telling her to go, and so Anne packed up and left within an hour, once the gig was ready to travel with the horses. In the letter Anne received from Scotland, Elizabeth had begged Anne to come and see her sister, because Anne Lister was all Ann Walker could talk about.

  


It took days before Anne finally arrived in a horrible rainy Scotland, and another couple of hours before she arrived at where Ann was staying.

Anne Lister in her usual way, stode up to the front door and banged hard.

Captain Sutherland answered “Miss. Lister? What are you doing here?”

Before either Captain Sutherland or Miss. Lister could answer, Elizabeth appeared at the door “I wrote to her and urged her to come.”

“Without consulting me first?”

“My sister my choice.” Elizabeth said firmly before lending Anne Lister a soft smile “Miss. Lister, do follow me, I’ll take you up to her.”

Anne nodded, following Elizabeth into the house and out of earshot of Elizabeth’s husband “What happened to her?” Anne grabbed Elizabeth’s arm, stopping them both from walking onward.

“She, hurt herself, and then she collapsed from blood loss. She’s resting in bed, but all she has asked for even subconsciously is… well is you.”

“Me? But I-”

“Don’t deny it. I accept her and you, just promise me one thing. Don’t hurt her. She’s my sister and she’s sensitive and vulnerable, and I couldn’t deal with losing her.” Elizabeth sighed before showing Miss. Lister into where her sister was sleeping “I’ll leave you to it, call if you need anything” Elizabeth smiled, as she closed the door behind her, leaving both her sister and Anne Lister alone.

Anne stood at Miss. Walkers bed side, taking Ann’s hand into her own “Ann? Please, be okay.”

“Anne?” Ann Walker groggley question, rolling over and her eyes met Anne Listers “Oh Anne! You’re here! You’re really here?” Ann cried, jumping awkwardly from the bed and throwing herself around Anne.

Anne smiled inwardly as she held Ann in her arms, close to her chest “Ann, what happened?”

The blonde woman, slowly pulled away, sitting back on the bed with her legs crossed, and Anne sat on the chair next to the bed, holding Ann’s hand. “Ann? Please, tell me what happened?” Anne almost begged grabbing her wrist and bringing it to her lips to kiss, but as she looked down she saw the fresh cuts on her smooth skin “Oh Ann.. why?”

“There was just one day, I thought I couldn’t go on without you.”

“Why?” Anne questioned. She had always felt this level of love for Anne but didn’t quite realise until this very moment that Ann felt exactly the same way.

“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again and I didn’t want to exist in a world that didn’t have you in it, sharing a life with me. Being without you, is hell on earth.” Ann let herself fall onto the bed, and just sobbed into the pillow.

  


“That’s it. I’m taking you home with me. Tonight.”

  



	2. Chapter 2 - Elizabeth Walker Sutherland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne has some deep conversations with Elizabeth and she also makes an imprtant decision about her future with Ann Walker.

Anne knew she had to speak to Elizabeth before they left but she just didn’t want to leave Ann alone, not for a second.

Anne watched the woman she loved sleeping, and tucking her hair gently behind her ear, before standing quietly, however not quite enough as to not wake her.

“Anne, don’t leave me!” Ann grabbed Anne’s sleeve tugging her closer.

“Ann, I’m just going to speak to your sister and tell her what’s happening, I will be right back.” Anne smiled kissing the blondes hand “I promise.”

Her words seemed to be enough to relax Ann Walker, as she let go of Anne’s sleeve laying back down her eyes watching as Anne left the room.

Miss. Lister found her way down the stairs to where Elizabeth was sat having some tea. And Elizabeth quickly sat up seeing Anne travelling into the room “Is she alright?”

“As well as can be, may I?” Anne questioned, pointing to the chair next to Elizabeth.

“Of course.”

“Anne sat down quickly and poured herself some tea “Elizabeth…” Anne sighed, because as much as Anne wanted her home with her, she was Elizabeth’s sister and she would be taking her away from the only family who seemed to accept her.

“Are you taking her back with you?”

“I am, but-”

“But nothing Anne. It’s the right choice, I can’t look after like I want to and my husband just wants to marry her off to someone and control her like he has me.” Elizabeth took a breath, “I won’t let him do the same to her as he has to me, just promise me you’ll stay tonight? For dinner and breakfast tomorrow?”

Anne frowned, “Of course I will, but Elizabeth why not come with us?”

“I couldn’t, he wouldn’t - he’d find me.”

“Elizabeth, it is your choice, but I will accept whatever your decision is… does Ann know?”

“Probably…” Elizabeth sighed, and Anne took that as a sign to not pry any longer, she finished her tea and went back up to Anne.

Ann was fast asleep again, but Miss. Lister could see from the door way that Ann’s pillow was soaked, which meant only that she had probably cried herself to sleep.

“Ann?” Anne whispered “Ann?”

Ann however didn’t stir, so Anne wasn’t planning on waking her instead she just sat at her bed, keeping an eye, not leaving her side, not for one second. She stayed there until about six in the evening, when she made the decision to wake Ann so they could go and join Elizabeth for dinner.

Anne kneeled on the bed next to Ann, stroking the side of her face and whispering into her ear softly “Ann? Darling? Ann, come on..” Anne brushed the hair of the blondes face. 

The blonde women slowly began to wake up with a little moan and seeing Anne looking over she smiled up at her “You didn’t leave.”

“Ann, why don’t we go down for some dinner with Elizabeth?”

“Aren’t we leaving tonight?”

“No, we will stay tonight and leave after breakfast tomorrow.”

Ann quickly got to her knees grabbing Anne by her shoulders “No, don’t you see?! They’re trying to keep me here forever, I’ll never be able to leave! They want to lock me up and throw away the key, they think I’ crazy-” Ann began pointing to the side of her head, hitting her delicate head over and over as she spoke “In here - they think I - I’m crazy. I’M NOT CRAZY!”

Anne grabbed Ann’s arms pulling them down at her side and then pulling her into a tight hold against her body “Ann stop darling! Stop it! You’re not crazy, I know you’re not and so does your sister. Ann, my dear, dear Ann, your sister loves you, she just wants us to stay for dinner and breakfast tomorrow, that is all I promise you. Ann look at me…” Anne pulled away, as she cupped the blondes face in her hands “I will not let anyone hurt you in any way, do you understand and most importantly, do you trust me?”

“I do - I do trust..” Ann bit down on her lip gently and slightly looking up at the brunette “Promise we shall leave as soon as breakfast is over tomorrow? PROMISE ME!”

“I Promise.” Anne smiled pressing her lips onto the softness of Ann’s head “Now dear, why don’t you put something on to have dinner in.”

Anne jumped down from the bed and held out her hand for Ann to take and to help her get down from the bed “Wait, Anne!” Ann quickly said as she hoped of the bed clutching at Anne’s hand.

“What is it?”

“I - “ Ann swung her arms around Anne’s neck “I love you so much, I never want to lose you Anne! I want us to be together, forever.”

“Do you though?” Anne pulled away, slowly lifting up Ann’s chin with her thumb and index finger “Do you want to be with me?”

“Yes! Yes! YES! Oh Anne! I’m so so sorry!” Ann paused.

Anne was going to ask her Miss. Walker to marry her again soon anyway but she didn’t want to do it here, she had planned it all out and spoken to her Aunt and to Marian to ask them to help her and set things up for when she got back. Anne had also planned on asking Elizabeth about marrying her, she was after all the only person in Ann’s family who was accepting her and them.

“Okay! Okay sweetheart!” Anne smiled as her girlfriend through her arms back around her smothering her in kisses all over her face.

Anne helped Miss. Walker get dressed and then both went down stairs and they had a beautiful dinner with Elizabeth,they talked about everything, laid the truth on the table, Elizabeth could clearly see how much better her sister seemed already, just with Anne being there. When Ann excused herself from the table, saying she was exhausted, Anne took this moment to talk to Elizabeth about her proposal.

“Elizabeth, may I speak with you before I join Ann.”

“Yes, you may but I don’t want Ann to be left to her own thoughts for too long…”

“Don’t worry Miss, this won’t take long.”

Elizabeth nodded, Anne Lister was a very head strong, confident, shining in the face of all adversity kind of women, but this speaking to the girls sister about proposing, this made her nervous. They sat in silence for not more than a minute before Anne spoke suddenly and quickly.

“I want to ask Ann to marry me!”

“Okay.” Elizabeth simply replied “Anne if you want my permission, you have it absolutely and completely. My sister is clearly infatuated and in love with you, no one should stand in the way of a love like yours.”

Anne suddenly felt so much more at ease than she ever thought she would “Thank you Elizabeth, thank you.”

Anne was like a giddy five year old on the inside, but on the outside she stayed cool, calm and collected. She told Elizabeth what she had planned, how she was going to propose down to the last little detail. Elizabeth was exatic about the whole thing she could barely contain her excitement, but she would be able to contain it when she needed to. Anne then left to go and spend the rest of the night with her girlfriend and future wife.

“Ann?” Anne knocked walking through the door of their bedroom and locking it behind her.

Ann was standing in the middle of the bed with one of the bed sheets wrapped around a small, petite body, her golden hair was let down and was curling down to her hips.

“Ann! What in God’s name are you doing? Get down before you hurt yourself!”

Ann simply chuckled “What am I gonna do? Bounce myself to death?” 

“Ann, I’m serious!”

“So am I.”

“What?” Anne frowned looking up at the blonde and feeling her heart thump in her chest about a million beats per second. She could feel it fluttering, and questioning how and why a heart does that when a person sees the person they love.

Ann smirked mischievously, before letting the dheet slowly fall down her body landing at her feet in the middle of the bed.

“Oh, wow - god.” Anne’s eyes almost popped from her head.

“Now Miss. Lister I am standing here with absolutely nothing on.”

“Yes, you are.” Anne gulped with a smile, her heart speeding up if that was even possible and falling even more in love with Anne Walker. God she loved her. She couldn’t help her heart, you certainly can’t help who you fall in love with and Anne Lister believed that more than anyone else.

“Make love to me.” Ann smirked, biting her lip a little.

There was a little pause between those words and Anne walker, ripping her own clothes off and almost pouncing onto the bed, pushing Ann onto her back, pinning her arms above her head and almost ravishing her body head to toe.

  
  



End file.
